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The National Wildlife Federation's blogWed, 13 Dec 2017 00:57:51 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.4139259312Today Show: Wildlife of the Americashttp://blog.nwf.org/2013/08/wildlifeoftheamericas/
http://blog.nwf.org/2013/08/wildlifeoftheamericas/#commentsMon, 12 Aug 2013 20:00:50 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=84385On my most recent appearance on The Today Show I brought on wildlife species form North and South America.

These TV segments always go by too quickly, and I can never get in all the cool facts about the animals and conservation messages that I want to. So, watch the clip and then keep reading to get even more info about each of these cool wild animals.

Don’t forget to let us know which one was your favorite in the comments section!

Cane Toad (Bufo marinus)

Cane toads are NOT declining and in fact are one of the worst invasive exotic species in Australia, where they were deliberately introduced to control cane beetles but instead ate the native endemic wildlife

Large parotid glands produce toxins to deter predators – so big they can cause fatal poisoning in pets and other predators that try to eat them

June 20– The U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass a farm bill that if enacted, would have been the worst in at least 25 years for fish and wildlife. The House bill failed any test of responsibility that taxpayer dollars wouldn’t be spent in ways that harm our land, water, wildlife and the public good. It’s critical to enact a five-year farm bill this year that protects conservation.

“The House farm bill failed commonsense conservation standards, and it failed to get enough votes to pass,” said Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “Reasonable measures to protect taxpayers and natural resources must be included a farm bill. The National Wildlife Federation will continue to fight for a farm bill that includes a link between conservation compliance and crop insurance, and a National Sodsaver program.”

Most significantly, the House bill would have created a new loophole in a longstanding requirement that farmers who receive taxpayer subsidies refrain from draining wetlands or farming erosion-prone soils without a conservation plan – because the bill failed to extend these protections to crop insurance premium subsidies, the largest subsidy farmers receive. This could lead to the draining of 1.5 to 3.3 million acres of wetlands and greatly increased soil erosion and nutrient pollution into our lakes, streams, rivers and coastal waters.

June 19– The Montana Supreme Court today cleared the way for the return of wild bison to their historic prairie habitat on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, reversing a lower court ruling that had blocked state plans to transfer bison to the Fort Belknap tribes for more than a year.

Today’s ruling from Montana’s highest court came in response to an appeal by two conservation groups, Defenders of Wildlife and the National Wildlife Federation, represented by the public-interest environmental law firm Earthjustice.

“Today’s decision paves the way for the restoration of Montana’s wild bison to continue,” said Earthjustice attorney Tim Preso. “Wild bison are part of our history in Montana and now we can look forward to a future where they are a living, breathing part of our landscape as well.”

June 18– limate change is altering and destroying important habitats that America’s migratory birds depend on and urgent action is needed to change that dangerous flight path, according to a new report released today by the National Wildlife Federation. Shifting Skies: Migratory Birds in a Warming World details how a warming climate could lead to a decline in some bird populations and even some extinctions if action is not taken to curb carbon pollution and adopt climate-smart conservation strategies.

“From waterfowl to songbirds to shorebirds, the climate crisis is the most serious threat this century facing America’s migratory birds,” said Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “We need urgent action at the local, state and federal levels to cut carbon pollution and confront the changes we’re already seeing.”

June 17– The Leslie Science and Nature Center (LSNC) will host their 5th community campout in Ann Arbor, MI on June 22nd. They will join thousands of families across the nation gathering in their backyards, neighborhoods, communities, and parks to enjoy a night of camping for the 9th Annual Great American Backyard Campout by the National Wildlife Federation.

The LSNC community campout will include campfires, an interactive bat program with the organization for Bat Conservation, nature walks and so much more.

“Moving into our 5th Great American Backyard Campout, LSNC is excited to welcome members of the community to our site! This is a wonderful chance for children and adults to come together and spend quality time in their own environment,” explains Katelynn McDonald with the Leslie Science and Nature Center. “Time spent in the outdoors is a great way to unwind and disconnect from our busy society. We are looking forward to offering quality programs, food and camping at this fun-filled event.”

Campout this weekend on June 22! Click here to learn more about Great American Backyard Campout and how you can register!

The Great American Backyard Campout is this Saturday, June 22. Families all across the country will head outside for a little old-fashioned camping fun (you can too – find out how right here).

To get into the spirit, I made camping the theme my monthly appearance on the Today Show. I brought on a few animals that you might see or hear (yes, I did my best impression of a gray treefrog call) while you’re camping out this weekend.

I also had a special camping-themed challenge in store for Kathie Lee and Hoda. Watch the segment to see what I made them do. It’s pretty hysterical. Camping experts they might not be, but they are certainly good sports.

My monthly appearance on the Today Show fell on Earth Day this year, which was a nice coincidence given that wildlife conservation and protecting the planet were already on everyone’s mind.

Below is the clip of the segment. As always I was there to introduce some wonderful animal ambassadors. You’ll see that some are cute and some beautiful, but as I pointed out to Kathie Lee and Hoda, even the scary or gross-looking animals are still important and worthy of our protection.

In the clip, I mention National Wildlife Federation’s Wildlife Adoption Program, which you can check out here. It’s a great way to support NWF’s mission and help wildlife on Earth Day.